Seal-lock



(Model.)

J. M. GOALB 8v W. BRUMBLE.

SEAL LOCK.

vPatented Deo. 27, 1887.

N. PETERS Plwtmlilhugraphlr, Wlhinglm, DV C4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. COALE AND VILLAM BRUMBLE, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SEAL-LOCK.

SPCIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,668, dated December 27, 1887.

Application lcd November 7, 1887. Serial No. 254,506.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH M. COALE and WILLIAM BRUMBLE, citizens of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locks; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which forni a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to seallocks, more especially to those used for mail-pouches, and

its nature and operation will be readily understood from the following description, the essential novelty of the device being pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the lock and its various parts are shown fullsize, Figure 1 is an elevation; Figs'. 2 and 3, vertical sections; Fig. 4, a side elevation of the pin or bolt; Fig. 5, an edge view of the saine. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 illustrate the locking-dog. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the case, showing the slots for the seal. Fig. l0 is a perspective view of the inner loclecase, partly broken away. Fig. 1l is a View of the seal. Fig. 12 is a cross-section of the loclrcase on line x Fig. 2. Fig. 13 is a cross-section on lineg/ y, Fig. 2.

The saine reference-letters apply to correspending parts in all the gures.

shell upon it, or by rivets a passing throughboth shells. The inner shell is closed at its lower end,and has a projecting lug, b, adapted to pass snugly through the rectangular opening in the bottom ofthe outer shell, A. This prevents the shells from turning on each other in case they should become loose. Diametrically opposite to each ot-her in the walls of the (Model .l

inner shell are two holes, b', the upper ends of which form square shoulders. rlhe sides of these holes are made slightly Haring, asshown. The upper end of the inner shell is beveled off from within outwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. 10. lies some distance below the upper end of the outer shell, the length ofthe inner shell being preferably about twothirds of the length or' the outer shell. Above the inner shell, B, and extending down from the upper edge of the outer shell, is a collar, O, ofthe saine internal and external diameters as the shell B. It is securely riveted or otherwise fastened in place within the shell A, the lower end forming a square annular shoulder, o, a little 'distance above the beveled upper end of the shell B. The two shells A and B and the collar C, thus assembled, constitute the lock-case.

The locking pin or bolt D is fitted to slide into the localccase, being cylindrical in crosssection, and having an open slot, d, extending upwardly from its lower end. In the lower end of this slot is hinged the dog or pawl E, which has a square or slightly-beveled upper end to engage with the square shoulder formed by the upper ends ofthe holes b', and also by the lower end of the collar O. A spring, F, Secured to the pin D, rests upon the back of the dog and presses it outward against the inner walls of the lock-case. The outer face of the dog is slightly rounded to enable it to enter and leave the holes b more readily, the flaring sides of the holes facilitating this operation.

At the upper end of the pin D is anarin, d', to the end ot' which is hinged a curved piece, D', by a rivet, g. The upper end ofthe pin D is cut away to the center of the pin, forming a dat diametrical surface, di, with a substan tially square shoulder, d3, at its lower end and an overhanging square projection, d4, at its upper end. The curved piece D has a rabbet, h, to receivethe projection di andadownwardly-extending semi-cylindrical portion, k, which fits between the projection d* and the shoulder, d, leaving a narrow opening between itself and the pin D, but otherwise replacing that portion of the pin that was cut away. The curved piece D', being hinged to the arm d at one end and iitting closely to the pin D at the other end, completes, with the The'edge ot' this beveled portion IOC arm tZ, a closed eyc, as shown, to receive a staple or other fastening device. The piece D' can be opened away from the pin D, as shown in Fig. 3, passed through the staple, and again shut down against the pin. The pin is then slid into the case as far as it will go, when the dog springs into one ofthe holes b and effectuallypreventsitsremoval. Furthermore,since the downwardly-projecting end kof the curved piece D is then inside the lock-case, the eye cannot be opened to free the staple. As the pin D is, however, cylindrical, it can be released by giving it aquarter-revolution in the lock-case, which will carry the dog out of the hole b and back into the slot d, with its end pressing against the inside of the inner shell, B, as seen in Fig. l2. The pin can now be drawn up out of the lock-case until the end of the dog slides out over the beveled edge of the inner shell and strikes against the shoulder c of the collar, as shown in Fig. 3. In this position the end 7c of the curved piece D is outside of the lock-case, and the eye can be opened. The shoulder c prevents the pin from being entirely withdrawn from the case, but allows it to be revolved therein without impediment.v In order to detect any attempt to revolve the pin when in its closed and locked position, we provide the following simple expedient: Two slots, A, are cut in the upper end of the lock case dianietrically opposite each other, and extending downwardly in a plane at right angles to a plane passing perpendicularly through the two holes b. Since the face cl2 of the pin is diametrical and the case is concentric with the pin, it follows that the slots A will register with the narrow space in the pin when the dog is in either of the holes b.

Supposing the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 3, a flat seal, G, of frangible material, is laid against the surface d2, the end k ofthe curved piece D' is shut down upon it, and the pin pushed into the case. The seal has a narrow middle portion, whose length is equal to the outside diameter of the lock-case, while its width is such that it fits neatly between thc shoulder d3 and the projection d* of the pin D. Consequently, when the pin is pushed in, this middle portion of the seal will be received entirely within the case, leaving only the wide ends projecting on either side, as seen in Fig. l. The seal prevents the pin from being revolved to disengage the dog from the hole b', and can only be removed by breaking off one of the wide ends of the seal and withdrawing the remnant from the slots in the ease and pin. To facilitate breaking the seal, it may be weakened along the dotted lines shown in Fig. 1l. Between these lines may he stamped or written any private marks or words, and as this portion of the seal is concealed from view it cannot be counterfeited before removing it. Furthermore, by weakening the seal near the' ends any attempt to Having thus described our invention, what y we claim isl. Ascal-lock having a cylindrical case pro'- vided .with internal shoulders and diametrieal slots, and a cylindrical locking-pin having a diametrical opening and carrying a springactuated dog to engage with said shoulders, substantially as described.

2.A seal-lock consisting of a cylindrical outer shell, a similar inner shell having two diametrically opposite holes, an annular shoulder above said holes, and two diametrical slots extending downwardly from the upper end of the case, a cylindrical pin having a spring-actuated dog,A and a curved piece hinged to the upper end of the pin and shutting down against the pin to forni an eye and leaving a narrow diametrical opening through the pin, substantially as described.

3. A seal-lock consisting of a lock-case having internal shoulders and diametrical slots, a cylindrical pin, D, carrying a spring-dog, and'provided with a flat diametrical surface, di, shoulder di, and overhanging projection d, and having a curved piece, D', hinged to it, provided with a rabbet, 7L, and adownwardlyextending portion,7c,substantiallyas described. 4t. A seal-lock consisting of an outer shell, A, an inner shell, B, having the lug b and the opposite holes b, the collar c, secured within the outer shell above the shell B, the case thus formed having the diametrical slots A', a pin, D, carrying a dog, E, and-cut away to form a iiat diamctrical surface, d2, shoulderl d", and projection d", said pin having hinged to it a curved piece, D', having a portion, 7c, to iit into the cut-away portion of thepin D, substantially as described.

.5. A seal-lock consisting of an outer shell, A, an inner shell, B, having lug Z) and diametrically-opposite holes b', a collar, c, above said inner shell, and a cylindrical pin carrying a spring dog to engage with said holes and collar, the case and the pin being provided with diametrical slots which register when the dog is in either one of the holes b', substantially as described.

In testimony whereof wc affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH M. COALE. WILLIAM BRUMBLE. Witnesses:

THos. KELL BRADFORD, S. W. BRADFORD.

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